[Archived] University of Toronto Scarborough Research Recognition Award

UTSC Research Recognitions have been updated as of Fall 2023. Please refer here for current internal awards opportunities.


Download Guidelines

Purpose

The purpose of the University of Toronto Scarborough Research Recognition Award is to recognize and encourage the research activities and achievements of faculty at U of T Scarborough.  The award is open to all tenured professorial faculty members within two years post-tenure granted at U of T Scarborough.

Award and Conditions

The recipient of the award will receive $5,000 to be used toward the costs of his/her research program. For example, these funds can be used for travel, personnel, equipment or other costs associated with scholarly activity.

Award Guidelines

The recipient of the award will be chosen by the Selection Committee from a list of nominations provided by the Department Chairs/Centre Directors.  Each Chair/Director may submit a maximum of one nomination. Chairs/Directors cannot be nominated for the Research Recognition Award during their tenure in those positions.

In making their selection, the Committee will be guided by the following principles:

  1. The award recognizes individuals who contribute in a significant way to the research profile and academic environment of U of T Scarborough
  2. The award is made on the basis of the quality of the research program of the nominee and the opportunity for enhancement of the research through the availability of additional research funds. Although quality of the research program is clearly a fundamental criterion for the final selection, the award will not generally be made solely on the basis of past achievement. The Selection Committee will determine the balance between quality of the research and potential impact of the award on the research program, a determination that may vary from year to year.

Nominations

Nominations should be made by the Chairs/Directors and should not be initiated in the form of self-nominations by faculty. Each nomination should be in the form of a letter signed by the Chair/Director, detailing the reasons for the nomination, written in clear non-specialist language for an interdisciplinary audience. The letter should contextualize the impact of the nominee’s research achievements and funding record to disciplinary norms of excellence nationally and internationally to help enable all members of the Selection Committee to effectively evaluate nominations involving fields outside of their disciplinary expertise. Nomination letters should highlight the following elements:

  1. Research output and significance (include impact metrics if applicable)
  2. The extent of the nominee’s involvement in the research contributions included in the CV (i.e. the intellectual and leadership role played by the nominee in the generation of the research contributions)
  3. Research funding record
  4. Research recognition (e.g. awards, nominee’s work in advancing his/her research field)
  5. If possible, external indicators of the qualifications of the nominee(s), putting their research in context (both Canadian and International). Chairs/Directors are not expected to seek external input or assessments for a nomination.
  6. Contribution of the award to the research profile of U of T Scarborough

Nominations should not include verbatim letters of reference for tenure. Letters of nomination must not exceed two pages and must be accompanied by an up-to-date CV.

The deadline for submission of nominations is February 1 (or the next business day if the 1st falls on a weekend/holiday.) Nominations must be submitted electronically in PDF format to the Office of the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation (OVPRI), researchoffice.utsc@utoronto.ca.

Questions about this award should be sent to researchoffice.utsc@utoronto.ca, with the subject “Research Recognition Award”.

COVID-19 Research Impact Statement

We recognize that COVID-19 may have adversely affected faculty member research activities, and accordingly invite applicants to provide a brief statement on the impact of the pandemic in this regard (no more than 100 words) if applicable. This information will be shared with the award adjudication committee.

Selection Committee

A Selection Committee composed of U of T Scarborough Research Advisory Board members and the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation (VPRI) as the Chair of the Committee will evaluate and recommend the top candidate.